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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29294277">The Hare and the Tortoise/The Tortoise and the Hare</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellaRivers/pseuds/StellaRivers'>StellaRivers</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Garak's Fables [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aesop's Fables - Freeform, Discussions Over Lunch, Elim Garak and Julian Bashir Lunch Dates, Garak's Fables, Gen or Pre-Slash, Julian Bashir and Elim Garak's Book Club, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Reletionship Garashir, Pre-Slash, The Hare and the Tortoise, The Tortoise and the Hare</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:28:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>897</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29294277</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellaRivers/pseuds/StellaRivers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A hare boasts to a tortoise that he is faster than him and challenges him to a race. The tortoise agrees to the race and they decide on a start and finish line. When the race starts, the hare speeds off, leaving the tortoise in his wake. Just as he’s about to reach the finish line, the hare takes a nap and the tortoise overtakes him and wins. </p>
<p>
  <i>The race is not always to the swift.</i>
</p>
<p>Or: </p>
<p>
  <i>Never get complacent and let your guard down.</i>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Julian Bashir &amp; Elim Garak, Julian Bashir/Elim Garak</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Garak's Fables [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2151450</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Hare and the Tortoise/The Tortoise and the Hare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A few weeks ago, I wrote a fic called The Cardassian Who Cried Wolf and it had a scene in it where Garak and Bashir discussed The Boy Who Cried Wolf over lunch. That kind of inspired me to write this little piece, which I'm hoping to turn into a series where they discuss more of Aesop's fables and Garak gives us his unique take on them. </p>
<p>It's kind of in a dialogue/screenplay format, which isn't exactly my forte but there's no action going on during this so prose didn't really work.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bashir:		Hello, Garak! What did you think of The Hare and The Tortoise? </p>
<p>Garak:		It was…interesting. Tell me, Doctor, do hares talk? </p>
<p>Bashir:		No, they don’t, it’s just a story. </p>
<p>Garak:		What about tortoises? Do they talk? </p>
<p>Bashir:	No, Garak. Like I said, it’s just a story. The animals are a metaphor for the message the author is conveying. </p>
<p>Garak:		Ah, yes, the message. And what would that message be? </p>
<p>Bashir:		Slow and steady wins the race. </p>
<p>Garak:	I see. And what races do you humans participate in so often that this message needs to be cryptically written into a children’s story? </p>
<p>Bashir:	It doesn’t necessarily mean literal races. It just means you should take your time with everyday tasks. For instance, when I’m taking samples for my medical experiments, I need to do it slowly and carefully to ensure I’m doing it right. If I rushed, something could go horribly wrong. And I’m sure you have to take it slow when you do your embroidery or hemming or…you know…other delicate work. </p>
<p>Garak:	Doctor, you really need not embarrass yourself by pretending to know anything about tailoring. Besides which, delicate stitching can hardly be compared to a simple running race. The hare would have easily won had he not fallen asleep right next to the finish line, but he got complacent and let his guard down, thus allowing the tortoise to surpass him. </p>
<p>Bashir:	I suppose you think the moral of the story is to never let your guard down. </p>
<p>Garak:	Of course! It’s an extremely valuable and important lesson. </p>
<p>Bashir:	Are you honestly telling me you’ve never let your guard down? Not even once? </p>
<p>Garak:	Of course I haven’t! Such an act would be most detrimental to my continued existence. </p>
<p>Bashir:	Not even when you’re asleep? </p>
<p>Garak:	My quarters are protected by five layers of encryption code and physically booby-trapped at the point of entry. I wouldn’t call that letting my guard down. </p>
<p>Bashir:	*Raises an eyebrow* I suppose I’d better not try to sneak into your quarters then. </p>
<p>Garak:	Why ever would you do that? </p>
<p>Bashir:	I wouldn’t. I’d wait for you to invite me. </p>
<p>Garak:	If I let you into my quarters, that would be letting my guard down and thus defeating the point of the story. </p>
<p>Bashir:	The point of the story is to take things slowly. </p>
<p>Garak:	For a human, maybe. If you tell that story on Cardassia, you’ll find my interpretation far more prevalent. </p>
<p>Bashir:	Is that true? Or are you just using your culture as an excuse for your dreary and suspicious worldview? </p>
<p>Garak:	My dear Doctor, I assure you the rest of my people are just as dreary and suspicious as me. </p>
<p>Bashir:	 How convenient that I have to take your word for it. </p>
<p>Garak:	You’ve read many works from my home world, you’re familiar with our attitude towards outsiders. </p>
<p>Bashir:	And yet here you are, having lunch with an alien. </p>
<p>Garak:	Well, I don’t exactly have much choice, do I? And I’d much rather you than a Bajoran militant. *Touches Bashir’s arm across the table.* </p>
<p>Bashir:	There are plenty of other non-Bajorans on this station. </p>
<p>Garak:	Yes, but who else would debate literature with me with such…enthusiasm? </p>
<p>Bashir:	I suppose I’m unique in that regard. </p>
<p>Garak:	Indeed you are. Tell me, Doctor, if you are so attached to interpretation of this story that you should take things slowly, why must you always rush your meals? *Gestures at Bashir’s empty plate.” </p>
<p>Bashir:	I’ve had a busy morning, I was hungry! </p>
<p>Garak:	What’s your excuse for last week? </p>
<p>Bashir:	Last week…I…didn’t have breakfast so I was also very hungry. </p>
<p>Garak:	What about the week before last? </p>
<p>Bashir:	I…had to get back to the infirmary quickly to see to a medical emergency. </p>
<p>Garak:	And the week before that? </p>
<p>Bashir:	I don’t know, Garak, I can’t remember how fast I ate and why every time we’ve had lunch together. </p>
<p>Garak:	I’m sure you can’t remember all your excuses for leaving early either. </p>
<p>Bashir:	They’re not excuses! I’m a doctor, I can’t ask the crew to schedule their medical emergencies around my lunch plans! </p>
<p>Garak:	It would be most convenient for me if you did. </p>
<p>Bashir:	You’re just trying to wind me up, aren’t you? </p>
<p>Garak:	Guilty as charged, my dear Doctor. </p>
<p>Bashir:	Is that honesty I detect? It’s almost as if you’re letting your guard down. </p>
<p>Garak:	Well, you contradicted your interpretation by rushing your food, I thought it only fair to contradict mine…for a few moments. </p>
<p>Bashir:	And you’re never going to let your guard down again, are you? </p>
<p>Garak:	Certainly not. </p>
<p>Bashir:	Why don’t we read another fable for next week? I think you rather enjoy them. </p>
<p>Garak:	Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say I enjoy them, but they do give me a fascinating insight into human cultural values. </p>
<p>Bashir:	What about “The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”? I can imagine you’d have a unique take on that one. </p>
<p>Garak:	Ah! More wolves and sheep? </p>
<p>Bashir:	Yes, more wolves and sheep, like The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Actually, it’s not that similar at all. Read it this week, you’ll see. </p>
<p>Garak:	I’m sure I’ll find it most enlightening. </p>
<p>Bashir:	I’m sure you will. Well, I must be going now. Same time next week, yeah? </p>
<p>Garak:	Until then, my dear Doctor.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I realise there's no way this conversation would ever last the full lunch hour so Idk, use your imagination to fill in the rest, I guess. </p>
<p>I'd really like to know what you thought about this as it's a very new way of writing for me, comments and kudos are appreciated :).</p></blockquote></div></div>
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